Adding machine base



Feb. 23, 1943. Q BUEHLER I 2,311,928

ADDING MACHINE BASE Filed July 10, 1941 22 INVENTOR.

G 5 ROBERT C). BUEHLTEIZ A TTOENE Y Patented Feb. 23, 1943 2,311,928 ADDING MACHINE BASE Robert 0. Buehler, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Victor Adding Machine Co corporation of Illinois Application July 10, 1941, Serial No. 401,865

1 Claim. This invention relates generally to improvements in adding machines, particularly of the so-called portable type.

It is the conventional practice to provide small adding and computing machines of the portable variety with a plurality of rubber feet or resilient pads, attached to its base to prevent marring or scratching highly polished surfaces, such as desk tops or other similar surfaces upon which said machines may be placed while in use. Such feet or pads serve this purpose reasonably well, provided however, that the machines are lifted and not slid or dragged across the supporting surface when it is desired to move them from one place or position to another. Due to the weight of even the lightest adding machines, an operator seated at a desk or standing behind a counter has a tendency to slide the machine from place to place rather than lift it, and this results in marring such polished supporting surfaces and in addition hastens the wear of the feet.

It is the general purpose of this invention, therefore, to obviate the foregoing danger of marring or scratching surfaces upon which adding machines may be placed, and to provide means for enabling an operator to readily shift the machines from place to place without lifting them entirely from such surfaces.

Another object of the present invention is to provide novel means whereby the portability of adding machines are materially increased, and the eflfort needed in moving them from place to place, is considerably reduced.

-A further object of the invention is to provide novel means to replace the conventional rear feet of an adding machine, whereby such machine can be readily moved from place to place without lifting it entirely from its supporting surface.

Still further and more limitedly, it is a purpose of the invention to provide substantially shallow rollers or other anti-friction means, adjacent the rear of an adding machine base to reduce the friction between such machine and its supporting surface while moving or shifting it from one place to another across said surface.

'I'he foregoing objects and others hereinafter appearing are attained in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevatlonal view of an adding machine, the base of which is equipped with the novel features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the base shown mpany, Chicago, 111., a

upon the adding machine in Fig. 1 and embodying the present inventio Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view of the base handle, and. a portion of the base on an enlarged scale taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a detailed view partly in section and partly in elevation showing one of the base rollers and its associated holder.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, the adding, computing or like machine illustrated in Fig. 1 may be of the ten-key or full keyboard type, and of the hand operated or motor driven variety or a combination of the two, as the present invention is not limited to any particular type of adding machine, but can be employed on one or several different types with equal success and marked advantages. In all adding machines, however, the conventional design and usual construction incl des a base l0 and casing H. The base III of su machines is generally supplied with a plurality of rubber feet (usually four) to prevent scratching or marring the surfaces upon which the machines are placed whil in use, as for example, desk tops, counters, and like places. As shown best in Fig. 2 the base I0 has two conventional rubber feet indicated by reference numerals I2 and- I3 spaced apart and positioned near the front end H of such base. Adjacent the rear end I 5 of base I0, and in substantial longitudinal alignment with the feet l2 and I 3, are antifriction elements designated as a whole by the reference numerals l6 and I! respectively. Each of the latter elements preferably comprise a U-shaped holder, the saddle l8 of which may be secured to the base III in any convenient manner, as by spot welding indicated at l9. Holders Hi and I! each have down-turned ears or leg portions 20-20 (see Fig. 5) which receive and support a shaft 2| upon which the rollers are rotatably journaled. The rollers 22 are preferably very small in diameter so as to be substantially concealed beneath the base and are made from a flexible substance such as rubher so as not to scratch or mar surfaces over which they are rolled. It may be desirable to supply each roller with a metal bushing 23 to facilitate rotation upon its shaft 2| and reduce wear of the rollers. The shafts 2| may be retained within the ears 20 in any convenient manner, but as here shown, one end of the shaft is reduced in diameter and its reduced portion passed through a suitable hole and then riveted or headed as shown at 24.

with the two roller assemblies attached to the base in the locations formerly occupied by the rear feet as above described, it will be understood that by slightly lifting the front end of the machine as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, most of the weight of the machine is carried by the rollers 11. With the machine in this posi-z tion it may be quickly and conveniently moved from place to place upon its supporting surface with very little effort upon the part of an operator, and without entirely lifting the machine from such surface.

To facilitate lifting the forward end of the machine, whenit is desired to move the latter from place to place upon its rollers 12, I prefer to employ a handle which in the present showing comprises an extension 25 integrally formed with the front end of base II as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. To give this extension a more pleasing appearance and a better grip for an operator, a finger piece a formed of tenite or other suitable material matching th key buttons of the machine may be employed. Said linger piece 26 may be slotted to receive the extension 2! and removably retained thereon by a screw 21. From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that my invention enables an operator to move an adding machine equipped with the present invention. from place to place upon its supportin: surface, by merely lifting the front end. of such machine by the conveniently located handle.

' in said brackets, said rollers being of small diameter relative to their length and extending transversely of said base.

ROBERT O. BUEHLER. 

